Forbidden Tomorrow
by doodlegirll
Summary: The Doctor recieves an urgent phone call from Martha, telling him only that 'there's been a death' and to get to Torchwood as fast as possible. But he never could have imagined it would be Rose Tyler waiting for him, with her 3-year-old daughter. 10/Rose
1. Prologue

**Hello all!**

**First off, I'd like to thank all those that made my last DW fic a huge success! I had a lot of fun writing that fic, and I'm glad everyone enjoyed it!**

**Second, this is my newest creation. I am coauthoring this with my good buddy _Veida _(check out her stories!!). I emailed her asking if she wanted to coauthor it with me, and she said she did. :) So, I write one chappie, and then she writes one. It should work out quite nicely!**

**So enjoy, and please don't forget to review!**

**_Disclaimer: We don't own Doctor Who. :( Do you really have to remind us?_**

* * *

Forbidden Tomorrow

_By _

_doodlegirll and Veida_

_***_

Prologue

Screaming.

There was screaming everywhere, cries of terror and pain, as flames licked the sky, lighting the dark night with hues of red and orange. Few people fled through the streets, avoiding the burning buildings and dodging the debris of broken cars and rubble. The horrible monsters roamed the streets, screeching above the destruction they had brought upon this world, killing all those that crossed their path. Car alarms were going off in all directions, mingling with the screaming, like an amusement park of death.

The entire city was ablaze, and the flames were spreading rapidly despite the rain that had started to fall steadily. Lightning flashed, and the thunder shook the cobbled streets like atomic bombs coming to earth.

In an alley beside a smoldered building, a man and woman crouched in the darkness, their eyes scanning the area in front of them. Their faces and hair were streaked with sweat and dirt, and the man had a nasty gash on his forehead near his hairline. Blood oozed from the wound, and dribbled down his temple. The woman's lip was split, and a large bruise was forming quickly on her left cheek. She held the man's hand tightly in her own, while in his other arm he held a small figure – obviously a child, about three or four years old. The man's dark eyes flitted through the destruction, fixating on a tall building a few blocks in the distance. One of the monsters passed in front of them, and he pulled the woman back into the shadows. The monster passed down the street and turned the corner, and the couple reemerged.

"Okay, come on!" The man whispered urgently. He and the woman dashed out into the street, never looking behind them. Hand in hand, they ran towards the building, exhaustion creeping up on them, the heat from the flames almost unbearable. The woman stumbled once, and she would have fallen had the man's grip on her hand not been so strong.

Another monster passed by, and they dove behind an overturned dumpster, huddling together closely, the child pressed between them. The monster did not see or detect them, and as soon as they were sure it was safe, the man scooped up the child and they began running again.

"Don't stop." He said to the woman. "We're almost there!"

"Are you sure you can get us inside?" The woman asked. "No doubt they've invaded the place!"

"I'm sure." He assured her. "Now just keep running!"

"I never stopped!"

They were almost there. Another explosion rocked the ground beneath their feet, and the child whimpered, burying her face into the man's shoulder, clutching at his shirt. He cooed in her ear, trying to calm her.

"Sh, you've got to stay quite, sweetie." He said. "We're almost there. We're almost safe."

The little girl nodded, her wet honey brown curls bobbing up and down. The man and woman, presumably her parents, continued to run, ducking behind cars and slipping into whatever shadows they could find as they did to avoid being seen. They would undoubtedly be killed if they were seen, that much could be certain. The monsters held no mercy for the inhabitants of this world, as was obvious from the fires around them, the stench of blood and death that hung in the air.

Finally the couple reached the building, and the man handed the child to her mother. He pulled a long, tube like device from his jacket pocket and pointed it at a door. The door clicked open and he ushered the woman and child inside. He shut the door behind him, and pointed the device back at it. Tumblers turned, and it was sealed shut. Dim lighting illuminated the space, and the couple could see they had entered on a flight of stairs, running both up and down. No noise could be heard anywhere in the building, other than the war going on outside, and they could only assume the worst for the employees of the building.

"We have to go up." He said, nodding towards the stairs. "We have to get you to the white floor, but first we have to swing by my office. That's about five stories up. Come on!"

He took the little girl back into his arms, and they started running again. About three stories up, the sound of the door being broken down could be heard, and they quickened their pace, not daring to look back even for a second. They heard the screeching of the monsters, and knew they had been seen.

Finally reaching another door, the man threw it open, and they ran out into a hall. The monsters had been here alright. The man urged the child not to look as they passed the bodies of dead comrades. They had not stood a chance against the awesome power the monsters possessed, and the woman blinked away tears as she ran. Light fixtures hung from the ceiling, some flickering, some out completely. They passed an office on fire, the flames consuming the curtains on the window and furniture inside.

They finally reached a door. The man pulled a key from his pocket and opened the door, shoving it open with his shoulder. He ran over to the desk and opened the top drawer. From it he pulled a brown paper bag, and a chain. Attached to the chain was a large red button, and he inserted a small key into the side and the button lit up, showing it was active and ready to be used. The woman stood outside the office, the child's face buried into her legs. The man slipped the chain over her neck, and handed her the paper bag. They could hear the monsters coming closer; they had found them.

"Go!" The man commanded. "Both of you have to go now! The white floor is down the hall. Once you get there, press the button. You know what to do from there."

"But what about you?" The woman was close to tears now. "They'll kill you!"

The man gathered her to him, the child shifting to hug her father around the legs, crying. "I know." He said. "But as long as the two of you are safe, nothing else matters." He drew her back and kissed her passionately. "I love you. Don't ever forget that. _I love you_. I know I still do."

The sound of glass breaking could be heard.

"You have to go." The man pried the little girl off of his legs and handed her to her mother, kissing her forehead. "Be a big girl." He whispered. "You keep your mummy safe for me, okay?"

"Okay, Daddy." She said. "I love you."

The man smiled, and turned back to his wife. "Go! Now! Get to the white floor!"

The woman nodded. She watched as her husband took off running down the hall, and he disappeared around the corner. She hugged her child to her in an iron grip as she began running. She screwed her eyes closed tightly at the sound of her husband's anguished cries behind her. The little girl stifled a sob and clenched her mother's dirty jacket into her fists.

Finally she reached a door labeled 'WHITE FLOOR: DO NOT ENTER.' Throwing open the door, she ran to the far wall.

"Okay, sweetie, look at mummy." She commanded her daughter, setting the little girl down on the floor and kneeling in front of her. "We're going to press this big button, yeah? It's going to take us somewhere safe, okay? Once we get there, we're going to go visit some of Mummy's friends, and they'll help us find your Daddy again, okay?"

The little girl nodded.

"That's my girl." The woman smiled, smoothing her daughter's hair down. She handed her the paper bag. "I need you to hold onto this for me, okay? Can you do that for me?"

The little girl nodded and hugged the bag to her chest, like it was her favorite toy she took to bed every night.

The woman could hear the monsters coming closer, the monsters that had stolen her family, her entire world, and now her husband from her. She lifted the child back into her arms. She took the button in her hand, and pressed it.

With a blinding flash of light, Rose Smith and her daughter disappeared into the din.

***

The Doctor sighed as he closed the dusty book he had been reading in his lap. Another human classic – _Beowulf._ He smiled to himself, remembering the time when he had met the epic hero for himself, and got up to return the book to its place on the shelf.

As he did so, the Doctor's eyes fell on a blue, leather bound book on the table. It was River Song's diary. The Doctor sighed and crossed to where the book lay, picking it up. He ran his fingers over the worn cover. Many times he had been tempted to peek inside, to flip through the pages and read his history yet to come. Many times he had pondered over his relationship with the young archeologist in the Library. He knew that it had to be…intimate, at most, for her to know his name…_his _name, the name he kept hidden in the shadows of his past. But each time he thought of River's smiling face, another face soon replaced it – the smiling face of Rose Tyler, the woman he had, quiet literally, fallen head over heels in love with.

But, she was gone now, just like the rest of his companions, trapped in the parallel universe with his clone, his human counterpart Donna had accidentally created all those months ago when the TARDIS had been thrown into the center of the Dalek Crucible to burn by touching his severed hand.

Ah, poor Donna. The Doctor sighed sadly. He missed the feisty redhead, his best friend, whom he would never be allowed to see again. Still, he took comfort in knowing she was alive and well back at home with her mum and grandad. At least she was alive. In the very least, she was alive, even if she couldn't – and never would – remember him.

The Doctor looked back at River's diary. He had mused many times of going to find her, but he had no idea where to start. Again he felt the temptation to turn the pages of the book in his hands, to find out all he needed to know, to begin again.

He sighed, and was just about to open the cover when a high pitched tune could be heard coming from down the hall.

His eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he sat River's diary back down on the table as he wandered out of the TARDIS library, a place he had found himself visiting quite a bit lately. He liked the quiet, almost serene atmosphere of it, and the smell of old print had always been one of his favorites.

Entering the main room of the TARDIS, the Doctor found the source of the tune. It was Martha's cell phone, ringing from somewhere on the console. Eyebrows knitting together and frowning even more, the Doctor crossed the room and located the little communication device. He flipped it open and pressed it to his ear.

"Hullo?" He asked.

_"Doctor?" _He heard Martha Jones' voice come from the other end. _"Are you there?"_

"Martha!" The Doctor said cheerily, smiling. "Blimey, haven't heard from you in a while! What's new?"

_"Doctor, you need to get to Torchwood as fast as possible." _Martha said.

The Doctor frowned again. "What, why?" He asked. "Martha, what's wrong?"

He could hear Martha shifting nervously on the other end.

_"There's been a death." _She said after a moment of silence. _"Please, just get here as fast as possible. April 17th, 2009. Hurry."_

"Alright, I'm on my way." The Doctor said, setting the coordinates. "But, what do you mean, 'there's been a death'? Martha, what's going on?"

_"Just…get here. I'll explain everything once you do, 'kay?" _Martha said. _"I've got to go. See you soon."_

"Alright." The Doctor said. He flipped the phone closed, a strong sense of foreboding weighing down on his hearts, and pulled a lever, sending the TARDIS hurtling into the vortex.

* * *

**I'm not used to writing as dark as this, so if it's a bit...iffy, sorry! I'll get better, promise!**


	2. Like Pieces of a Puzzle

******Hey Guys! I'm **_**Veida **_**and I'll be your author for this half of the story!**

******  
I'd LOVE to give a shout-out to everybody who reviewed the previous chapter! **

******  
(And apologize for the delay in updating!)**

******  
With that said, on with the story! **  


* * *

Forbidden Tomorrow

_By _

_doodlegirll and Veida_

_***_

Chapter One: Like Pieces of a Puzzle

The TARDIS arrived to it's destination in record time, as if it had sensed the Doctors urgency. It settled down on Earth with a noisy 'clunk' and caused the Doctor and several scattered items in the console room to leap up, before clattering down to the ground. Despite the situation, the Doctor paused to give the TARDIS an affectionate pat- it's console warm against his cold hand. "Good job ol' girl." He murmured, and the ship gave an appreciative 'whirr' of her engines. Then the Doctor grabbed his brown duster coat off of the console, slipped it over his slender shoulders, and stepped outside the door.

A heavy fog rolled around the streets of downtown Cardiff, and the unmistakable scent of rain was heavy in the air. "Sure smells like 21st century Cardiff, but let's make sure that those dates didn't get all mixed up along the way, shall we?"

Taking long, purposeful strides the Doctor made his way across the empty streets. 'It'd be easy to get a body lost in this fog. Fortunately for the universe, I have an impeccable sense of direction... or I'm very good at bluffing it anyway.' There was a newsstand that had been set up across the deserted walkway, hidden in the shadows of the Millennium Art Center. A heavy set, middle age man sat hunched inside, face hidden by a magazine as pages turned at a steady pace.

The Doctor lifted a thick newspaper off of one of the outside racks. His eyes drifting towards the upper left corner to the date. April 17th , 2009 just as Martha had instructed. Good. Now he could finally get to the bottom of this mystery.

A raspy, masculine voice startled him out of his thoughts. "You gonna buy somethin' or not? This ain't a library."

"Ah, sorry- I was just browsing." With that, the Doctor headed off to find Torchwood.

***

The entrance to Torchwood in Cardiff was small. Nearly unnoticeable, tucked behind wharfs and hidden underneath dark alleys. The Doctor hid a chuckle. Leave it to Jack to pick a place like this for any kind of Headquarters. He was moving quicker now, feet picking up the pace as the door drew closer to view.

It didn't look like a door that led to anything special. It looked like it needed to be cleaned, but keeping things tidy had never been one of of Jack's strong points. Besides, when had the Doctor ever judged things by their appearances anyway? Just when he was about to pull open the door handle, the Doctor noticed a newspaper article used to block out any light from coming into the room. It wasn't the paper itself that was special, rather, it was what was ON the paper that caused him to give an ironic smile. It was a picture of Blon, who at that time was the mayor of Cardiff. Sealed tight inside of a skin-suit of some poor human while she quickly covered up the lens of the camera from a full view of her face. In bold print the headline read "NEW MAYOR, NEW CARDIFF." Jack certainly had a sense of humor.

He placed a hand against the handle and pushed hard on the door. However, it didn't budge to his grip. The Doctor frowned, and after taking a quick glance around to make sure that nobody was watching, he reached into the deep pockets of his coat. For a moment his hand brushed past several objects. A set of batteries, his glasses, the smooth leather of the slightly psychic paper, a banana, and several long forgotten jelly babies. In an exaggerated flourish, he produced the sonic screwdriver. Switching on the settings, a low hum filled the air as he held it over the doorknob. Still, nothing happened.

"Jack must've put it on a deadlock seal. That's clever..." Eyes wandering, the Doctor hunted for some kind of doorbell. He didn't find a doorbell in the more traditional sense. Instead, it was more along the lines of the sort of buzzer that you'd find leading into a set of condominiums or apartment building, with a red button to press to page whoever might have been inside. For the Doctor, a big red button was far better than any invitation.

For a moment nobody answered. So the next time the Doctor decided to speak. "Yes- hello there! I'm the Doctor. I'm here to see Martha Jones?"

There was a moment 's pause before a familiar voice came over the intercom. "Long time no see Doctor! Glad you could show up."

The Doctor grinned. Mickey! He never thought he'd be quite so glad to hear the young man's voice. "Well, you know how it is. Had to make a pit-stop for the TARDIS a couple of times. Stopped at this beautiful planet around... oh, two thousand years ago? That's not why I'm here though, is it?"

"Got it in one Doctor, hang on and I'll get the Door again. Sorry 'bout the deadlock."

"Totally understandable. Only secure lock in the galaxy!"

Within moments the door swung open and Mickey ushered the Doctor quickly inside. The difference was noticeable as soon as the door swung shut behind them. Torchwood Cardiff wasn't as well-lit as Torchwood One, and it was like stepping into the figurative Twilight Zone. Night or day didn't seem to exist amongst the hum of computers and myriads of alien tech.

"Welcome to the Hub, Doctor!" Mickey announced, gesturing his arms out so that they encompassed the entire room. The computers WERE impressive, although- the Doctor was positive they couldn't hold a candle to Sarah-Jane's Mister Smith. The rest of the room was a chaotic blend of the ordinary and the 'extra terrestrial'. Pieces from different eras, planets, and galaxies all blended together in one room. If it had been anybody but Jack, the Doctor would have done something about that. However, Jack had earned his trust, and he owed him that much.

"You must love this Rickey." The Doctor teased.

"It's Mickey- and yeah, I do. After Toshiko died, Torchwood needed another techie. And that's where I came in." There was a pause. "You'd have liked her Doctor. She was a technical Wizard from what I can see. These computers are works of art."

"I did meet her, once. She was working undercover- you know, that time the Slitheen 'spaceship' crashed?"

"How could I forget?"

"She was brilliant. She must have just joined Torchwood though- she didn't seem like she'd seen too many aliens at that point. But that's not why I'm hear. Martha told me their had been a death- but I know full well that Tosh died several months ago."

Mickey's face grew somber, and it was just then that the Doctor realized how tired he looked. "It's not something I can just tell ya. You've got to see for yourself."

A horrifying thought sped into the Doctor's mind. "It isn't Donna, is it?!"

"No. She's safe at home. We have somebody checking in on her once in a while to make sure that she's all right."

"Good. But then... who."

"They're in the conference room, c'mon."

The conference room to the Hub was like something you'd have expected to see in any office building or school. There were wide glass windows all around, probably sound proof, but the Doctor couldn't have been sure from the outside. Office chairs were placed strategically around it while a large LED screen was shoved against the back wall. A map of Cardiff sprawling out across the screen. It wasn't the room itself that made it stand out, and it wasn't the eerie underworld around it either. It was the people, or rather- persons inside the room that nearly made both of his hearts stop.

Martha Jones sat in one of the chairs, dark brown hair pulled upwards into a messy bun, and her arms were wrapped consolingly around a young woman sitting in one of the office chairs, two forgotten cups of coffee sitting between them. The young woman had her face down, her hair spilled down several extra inches past her shoulders and shielded her features from view, brown roots just visible on the top of her head. That didn't matter, he could recognize her even without seeing her face. Rose.

That was impossible. She was safe in the parallel universe with the Human Doctor. Or she should be, he hoped above all hopes that this was some cruel cosmic joke.

There were two other occupants in the room. One he recognized as Gwen Cooper, a surviving member of Jack's team, trying to engage a little girl into playing several finger-games. The little girl was somewhere around three years old. Honey-blond hair done up in two curly pigtails, spilling out around her face, while she stubbornly clutched at a brown-paper bag. The Doctor frowned, there was a niggling sense of familiarity about the little girl, but the Doctor was certain that he'd never seen her before in any of his lives.

Then, in a split second her eyes traveled to the window. Widening as she saw him as a childish grin lit up her face. The room certainly was soundproof, because while the Doctor couldn't hear the actual words he could clearly read the child's lips as she mouthed out the words; **_'Daddy!'_**

The final piece of the puzzle slid into place. He knew who she was now, there wasn't any mistake about it. She, was River Song- at three years old, and presumably the daughter of one Rose Tyler.

At that moment, he heard several footsteps behind him as Ianto Jones picked that moment to step into the room and spoke in a strong Welsh accent "Mickey, I brought those..." his voice trailed off- and he glanced between the Doctor, staring in shock at the conference room, and Mickey.

"Maybe I should have brought another sandwich."


	3. With Arms Wide Open

**Hola! _Doodlegirll _here! **

**Hope you like this chappie! It's a bit longer than the others (six pages, wow!) but I've had positive feedback from Veida, and our beta reader, Lacey! So I hope you all enjoy it, too!**

**Here we go!**

**Special thanks to _bornOfvengence_ aka Lacey for beta reading! You're the best! (But David Tennant is still mine, missy! I told you, you can have Nine, but Ten is MINE! ;)**

* * *

Forbidden Tomorrow

_By _

_doodlegirll and Veida_

_***_

Chapter Two: With Arms Wide Open

"_Daddy!_"

Rose felt her heart constrict in her chest as she looked up at her daughter's sudden outburst of pure joy. She followed River's line of vision to the window on the other side of the room, and she couldn't stop the tears from invading her eyes when she saw him.

The Doctor was standing on the other side of the soundproof glass, a stupefied look on his face as he looked from her to River to Rose again. She could see him mouthing the word 'What?!' over and over, and the edges of her mouth twitched in amusement.

Before anyone could stop her, River was suddenly on her feet and running to the door that led out into the hallway. Throwing it open, she raced out, curls bouncing as she did. Rose and Martha were instantly on their feet and following the little girl, Gwen following not far behind.

River ran into the room on the other side of the glass, and launched herself at the man she knew as her father, nearly knocking the poor, confused Time Lord to the floor as she hugged him around his legs. The Doctor, stunned, blinked a couple of times before bringing his hand up to pat the little girl's head. River looked up at him and smiled, her familiar blue eyes full of joy.

_What's going on here? _He thought.

"Daddy, did the monsters hurt you?" She asked. She frowned and cocked her head. "You made me and Mummy leave, and I heard you crying…"

At that moment, Rose and Martha rushed into the room. The Doctor looked up, his eyes locking with Rose's as she smiled almost shyly, but the Doctor could clearly see the tears that were making their way down her cheeks.

Then he knew.

Something had gone terribly wrong in Pete's World, and his clone had sent Rose and their daughter – _his_daughter – back to this universe. River had said something about 'monsters'…and hearing him crying. Whatever these 'monsters' were, they must have killed his human counterpart, and Rose and River had escaped somehow back to this universe, back to _him_.

While River was unscathed, Rose had a large bruise on her left cheek, and her bottom lip was split. Her hair was several inches longer than it had been when he had last seen her, and it was clear that it had not seen a new dose of peroxide in quite a while, judging from the inch of darker roots that peeked from her scalp.

River released the Doctor and ran back to her mother, grabbing her hand. "Mummy, Daddy's here!" She said, tugging at her hand. "The monsters didn't hurt him!"

Rose smiled as she crouched down to where she was at her daughter's eye level.

"Sweetie, can Mummy talk to Daddy alone for a minute?" She said.

River nodded excitedly. "Sure, Mummy." She said.

"Good girl; go with Ms. Martha and Ms. Gwen then, okay?" She said.

"Okay, Mummy."

"Come on, River." Gwen said. "Let's get you a snack, okay?"

With that, Gwen and Martha led River from the room, Mickey and Ianto Jones not far behind. Rose closed the door behind them and turned back to face the Doctor, who had his hands shoved deep into the pockets of his trousers as he looked at her solemnly.

"Rose." He said, walking closer. "Is it really you?"

Rose nodded as more tears flowed from her eyes. "Yeah." She said, her voice breaking. "It's me."

"What are you doing here?" The Doctor asked. "In this universe I mean?"

Rose couldn't help it; she began to sob. In an instant the Doctor had her in his arms, hugging her tightly as she buried her face into his shoulder, breathing in his familiar scent. He rubbed her back soothingly, rocking her back and forth. Oh, she was real.

"Sh, Rose." He whispered in her ear. "It's alright. Calm down; I'm here."

"You died." Rose sobbed. "They killed you. I heard you screaming as we ran…"

The Doctor's worst fears were confirmed: his clone was dead, and Rose's world had been turned inside and upside down yet again.

He hugged her closer to him.

"They killed you." Rose whispered. "They killed everyone: Mum, Dad, Tony, everyone. And then they killed you."

"Oh, Rose…" He said, pulling her back and wiping the last tears away with the pads of this thumbs. "I'm so sorry."

Rose smiled and took a deep breath. "I know." She said. She took his hand in hers, and squeezed it. "Let's go somewhere where we can talk; I have a lot to tell you."

***

About an hour later, the Doctor sat in one of the office chairs in the conference room, a sleeping River in his lap, her head resting lazily on his chest. The little girl still clenched the battered brown paper bag in her fist, and when the Doctor had asked Rose what the contents of it were, she just shrugged and said that his clone had given it to her before she and River had fled Pete's World, and that she had given it to River to hold on to and keep safe for her.

Across from him sat his Rose Tyler – Smith, he corrected himself, judging from the gold band on her left hand. She chewed at her injured lip nervously as she stared into her fresh cup of tea Martha had brought her.

"So…" The Doctor said, quietly so as not to disturb River. "How long has it been for you, then?"

"Four years." Rose said, taking a sip of tea. "You?"

"Oh, it hasn't been that long for me…'bout a year. Almost that long for this lot." He tipped his head towards the door.

"Done anything…interesting?"

The Doctor shrugged lightly. "Oh, you know, the usual. Same old TARDIS, same old life. Had another run in with the Cybermen in the Victorian times. Met Mary Shelley. Ran for my life. Nothing new."

"Any new companions?"

The Doctor shook his head. "No." He said, sadly. "Just me."

"So you've been all on your own, then?"

The Doctor nodded. "Just me, alone."

Rose swallowed and curled her hands back around the warm cup.

"What about you?"

Rose looked up at the Doctor, who looked back at her, his brown eyes full of concern. He looked back down at River, who stirred slightly. He smiled at her as she slept, peacefully, for the first time in a very long time. Memories filled Rose's mind, memories of the look on the Doctor's face – the Doctor that was her husband, back in Pete's World, the Doctor that went by John Smith – all those times she had caught him in River's room late at night, watching her sleep. He and River had always had a special bond, and Rose knew, while she didn't know _how_she knew, that there was something that the Doctor wasn't telling her about their daughter. Like why he had chosen the name River Song, for example.

In an instant, it was gone, and Rose shook her head, setting her cup down, finally.

"Oh, you know," she said, trying to keep it as light as she could. "Been busy. Working, being a mum. Domestics."

The Doctor leaned forward slightly, staring her intently in the eye.

"What happened?" He asked softly.

Rose swallowed. She had been dreading this part since she had arrived at Torchwood's door that very morning and Martha had promised to get a hold of the Doctor for her. She looked back down at the table, unable to look the Doctor in the eye anymore least he see the tears that were gathering in hers.

She felt a cool hand rest on hers, and she entwined her fingers with his as she looked up. The Doctor gave her an encouraging smile, his eyes begging her to not leave him in the dark, and she took a deep breath.

"The monsters came." She said, her voice shaking with emotion. "Two months ago, thought it may as well have been two years. Feels like that long."

"What were the monsters?" The Doctor asked.

"You – the other you, John – had never seen these aliens before, and said they were probably native to that particular universe, and without the TARDIS to translate or run scans on them, we didn't know who they were or what they wanted. That complicated things, a lot.

"When they invaded, they started killing. You said it was like the…Toclafane all over again. They walked around on two legs, like us, but they were this…yellowy-orange color, scaly, and they had these…eye things on their foreheads that you suspected scanned their victims, and we found out later that they used it to follow the family trees. They had these…tongues like whips that would strike you and fry the brain. It was a horrible way to die.

"They killed anyone who crossed their path: men, women, children, for no reason at all. They started breaking into homes in the middle of the night and murdering people in their sleep, burning down the houses. The city was in hysterics. No place was safe anymore.

"You decided it would be a good idea for all of us to go into hiding. He said these monsters were looking for something, but we were never able to figure out what. We were always running, always hiding, always on the move. You would find us a place to hide, usually in a burnt out building, since the monsters never struck the same place twice, and would go to Torchwood to work on another dimension cannon. You said that it was only a matter of time before they found us, or found whatever it was they were looking for, and you wanted us to be safe, me and River. That was all you cared about.

"The monsters killed everyone. They killed Mum, Dad, and Tony. That was when we went into hiding, because they usually followed family lines in their attacks. They'd attack the grandparents and go after the children and grandchildren. That's just how they did things."

Rose paused a minute before continuing her tale.

"Then, two days ago, we were coming back to our camp when they found us. You made us run while you fended them off, and you got away before they could kill you, or get a scan of any of us, and you said the dimension cannon was ready.

"I didn't want to leave you, but you made me promise. You…you said that you were sure you – this you, not John – still loved me and would take care of me and River. I promised I would go, for River, and find you. You knew there was no way anyone was going to survive this once it was over, and you knew we could be next.

"So we hid for the next day and half until they were too busy burning and raiding homes and ran for Torchwood. They spotted us on the way, but luckily by the time they had broken down the door we were a few stories up, so we beat them.

"You got the dimension cannon ready and told us to get to the White Floor – what we called the Ghost Floor. You gave me that paper bag and the cannon, and I gave River the bag to hold onto, since I had to hold her in order for us both to cross the Void."

She sniffed and wiped her eyes.

"The monsters caught up with us, and you went and distracted them while River and I got to the White Floor. I heard you screaming…I know they killed you…and they would have killed us, too, if they had found us."

Rose's face contorted in pain and she began to cry again. The Doctor wrapped his arms around her again, pulling her as close as he could without waking the three year old between them. Rose buried her face into his chest, clenching his jacket into her fist as she cried, softer this time. She felt very safe, here in his arms, and she felt the pain begin to slowly ebb away.

"Nothing can hurt you, or River, Rose." The Doctor whispered. "I promise. I won't let that happen to you, not again." He pulled her back, forcing her to look at him. "I'm not going to leave you again, Rose."

Rose blinked. "What?"

"I'm not going to leave you, not again, not ever." The Doctor promised. "The question is, what about you?"

Rose looked puzzled. "What do you mean?" She asked.

"Rose..." The Doctor said. "I'm not my clone; I'm not the John Smith you married. I don't have the same memories that he had. There are things I can't say because I'm too afraid to, Rose. Are you going to be able to deal with that? To deal with a man that looks, thinks, and talks like someone else?"

"I did it before." Rose said. "It won't be easy, but I'll do it. You're still the same to me."

The Doctor smiled, and Rose smiled back. She sighed and got to her feet, picking up her now cold tea.

"I'm going to get some more tea. Want any?"

The Doctor shook his head. "Nah, I think I'll stay here with River. You go get some free radicals and tannin in your system!"

Rose laughed lightly, and the Doctor felt his hearts leap in his chest. That laugh. He had always loved that laugh.

"You will never change." Rose muttered. "I'll be back. Make sure she doesn't wake up; poor thing hasn't slept like that since…"

"Since the monsters invaded."

Rose nodded.

The Doctor waved his hand. "She'll be fine." He said. "Go on."

Rose nodded again and walked out of the room towards the kitchen.

The Doctor watched her go before he looked back down at the sleeping form in his lap. He reached out and gently wiped a curl from her face, and he found himself remembering her thirty or so years from now, all grown up, dressed in a white biohazard suit, sonic screwdriver in hand. He tried not to remember what her ultimate fate would be, her dying for him. He knew now how she knew his name – _his_name, the one thing he kept so tightly locked no key could ever open it – and it was not as he had previously thought, at all.

His attention was drawn back to the paper bag she held tightly in her fist. She had refused to let the thing go, Rose had said, and she had resolved to let her keep it. Carefully, he reached out and tried to pry it from her grasp.

River frowned in her sleep and her grip on the bag tightened.

"Come on, River." The Doctor whispered. "Please?"

River did not let go.

"Come on." The Doctor said. "Pretty please?"

River groaned in her sleep, and clutched it to her chest.

"Please?" The Doctor ventured again. When River did not let go, he thought of another idea. "Let Daddy see what's in the bag. You're safe now."

The word 'daddy' felt strange as it rolled off his tongue, but it worked. River's face softened, and her grip on the bag loosened. The Doctor gently uncurled her fingers from it.

"Thank you." He said.

"Y'welcome, Daddy." River muttered in her sleep, and she shifted closer to him.

The Doctor weighed the mysterious bag in his hand. It was fairly heavy, like there was a small rock in the bottom. He reached inside, and his hand brushed a folded piece of paper. Eyebrows furrowed, he brought it out. On the front he found his own spidery script, addressing the paper to himself.

The Doctor's eyes widened and he opened the note in a flourish. He gave himself a rather nasty papercut in the process, and he sucked on his finger for a moment before proceeding to read the letter.

_To (well, I guess it would be me, wouldn't it?),_

_If you're reading this, then the dimension cannon worked, and Rose and River are safe in your universe, which also must mean that I am dead. _

_I don't have a lot of time to explain things, since I have to get back to Rose and River at our newest hiding place, so I'll skip the introductions and get right to the basics._

_First off, yes, River Song __**is**__ our daughter. She always was. You and I both know, deep in our hearts (my one and your two) that she could never be anyone else. It makes perfect sense, if you sit down and think about it: she was always saying "we did this" and "we did that," but I realize that she never really specified just who "we" was. We always thought it was just "River and the Doctor," but now I realize she really meant "River, the Doctor, and Rose Tyler." She was born here, three years and four months ago, and she had to come over there somehow, so I know this was meant to happen, and after I explained that to Rose, she was a little more willing to leave me behind. _

_Second, the TARDIS coral Donna gave us is gone. Destroyed in one of the first fires when the monsters invaded. I knew you would ask; there's your answer._

_Third, the monsters. I don't know much about them, but I do know this: I examined a few of the bodies of people brought in here at Torchwood when I had time while building the dimension cannon, and I know that they don't just kill you. They __**scan **__your brain with that tongue of theirs. The scan is so intense it fries the brain, thus killing you. They're scanning all the people they kill's brains, but for what I do not know. Whatever it is, I knew I had to get Rose and River out before the same happened to them._

_Forth, the contents of this bag. In this bag you will find a silver fob watch. Contained inside are all my memories of living here in Pete's World. I know there's no way you'll leave Rose again – I am you, aren't I? – because I know you still love her like you did before. I know you do, because I _**_am _**_you. I know it will be hard for Rose to adjust again, it was when you first left her here with me, so I found a way to contain my human memories in a fob watch, much like we did with our Time Lord conscience when we hid from the Family in 1914. All you have to do is open it and the memories are yours. If you're willing to spend the rest of Rose's life with her – and I know you are – then open the watch. _

_Take care of them. You are River's father, and Rose's husband, because I am. We are the same, you and me. (It gets confusing a lot, you know.) Open the watch and accept the memories of the life you didn't live and did at the same time. Don't do it for me; do it for them. _

_Keep them safe. _

_Signed, John Smith_

_(aka YOU)_

The Doctor hastily set the letter aside and turned the bag upside down. Just as the letter said, a silver fob watch, much like the one he had given Timothy Latimer after he had taken back his Time Lord consciousness. He stared at it, turning it around in his palm, unsure of what to do with it.

Did he dare open it?

At that moment, Rose walked back into the room, a steaming cup in her hands once more.

"What's that?" She asked, frowning at the fob watch in the Doctor's hand.

"It's what was in the bag River was holding." The Doctor said. He looked at her. "And it has all of my human memories inside."

* * *

**Wow, this chapter was hard to write...you have no idea...seriously, confusing!**


	4. Distant Memories

**Hey everybody! This is your friendly, neighborhood fanfiction author speaking! I'm sorry for the wait between Robin's chapter and the chapter that I wrote! Special thanks to everybody who reviewed the past few chapters! And ~ an important side-note, my pen-name has _changed _for those who haven't been able to find me. I'm now _Little Bat. _With that said, enjoy the chapter!  
**

* * *

Forbidden Tomorrow

_By _

_doodlegirll and Little Bat_

_***_

Chapter Three: Distant Memories

The Doctor scanned over the letter again and again. He knew he hadn't misread the letter. Rarely ever did he misread things. Well, once or twice, but not when it really mattered, and he couldn't quite believe what he was reading. How had his Human self managed to find a Fob watch? Maybe Rose's alternate reality was much more advanced than he gave them credit for. He turned the small silver watch over in his hand, while he absently rubbed his fingers along the writing. It wasn't Gallifreyan like what he was used to; however, it seemed to be some odd variation of his people's language.

"He gave you a watch?" Rose's voice was low and confused as she rested her head against the Doctor's shoulder.

"And a letter."

Rose's left hand reached for the Doctor's, her fingers intertwined with his own. He hadn't forgotten how much he missed that, just having a hand to hold.

"Rose, you're gonna want to read this." This was her choice just as much as his. It was her life, her choice. He'd tampered with that one too many times already. His gaze wandered over to the conference room, where the little River sat with Gwen, both munching on their sandwich, while Martha worked furiously on some paperwork that had been placed in front of her.

Finally, Rose's eyes met his. She didn't look surprised, and she hadn't jumped to any sort of decision. Yet.

"Doctor, I don't want this to be something you don't want to do, they're somebody else's memories and life after all. And, not all of the memories are good ones either." Rose visibly winced, remembering the past few turbulent months, watching coworkers and friends killed in front of them by the invading aliens.

The Doctor gave her a tiny grin. "Well- can't be any worse than some of the memories I have locked away" He tapped the side of his head. "I left you there, on that beach. Not just once but twice and I didn't even give you a choice! I've missed so much. Of you, of River." At that he paused. "She really is your daughter isn't she?"

Rose nodded, the small smile spreading across her face. "She's our daughter all right. And she's got your mind for trouble too."

The Doctor grinned. So that's is where River had gotten it. He thought, finally understanding that fierce determination River had, and her dismay at realizing that he wasn't the Father that she remembered. Meeting your Dad before he's even your Dad must have been a weird experience, even for Time-Lord standards.

"Rose- this is something that I want to do. For a couple minutes at least I'm going to be pretty disoriented. Having another person in your head does that to you sometimes."

For a moment, Rose remembered the light-headed fuzzy disorientation she felt after Cassandra had possessed her on New New York. Oh, she knew.

"Well, alright then. Allons-y!" And with that the Doctor opened the fob watch, and a flood of memories streamed through his consciousness.

***

The fire, surrounding Donna, while the two of them worked together in order to bring the TARDIS out from the inferno to help the others on the Crucible.

His Human self and Rose, standing together hand in hand on Bad Wolf Bay as they watched the TARDIS, his TARDIS vanishing through the rip in Rose's alternate reality.

The confusion of adjusting to a normal, human life.

His first desk job that wasn't a cover, working with Pete Tyler on the alternate Torchwood. (Hewas pleased to note that his Human self didn't carry a gun.)

Falling from a rather large ladder when he tried to help Rose by fixing a leak on the roof of their flat.

River, born on a Saturday.

River, taking apart his spare sonic screwdriver at age two, her first word, her first steps.

Trips to the zoo, where River tried to slip (unsuccessfully) into the monkey cage.

The monsters, flooding through reality- and the death that followed in their wake.

Jackie screaming at them to run as the creatures caught up with them.

His human self, writing the message while Rose and River drifted off in an uneasy sleep while they hid in a safe-house, owned by a certain Sarah-Jane Smith. Where he finally hid his memories safely inside of the Fob watch.

Then, everything faded into darkness.

***

Ianto had gone with Mickey to get a couple more sandwiches and find Jack. It was more so that they would have something to do rather than an of actual need for any more food (though admittedly they could use Jack).

While Gwen helped River with her lunch, Martha sat in the conference room with the two, a red pen in her hand while she furiously filled out some form that Ianto had handed her. She had no idea what it was really, but it gave her something to do. Her mind however, had more important things to think about than Torchwood's financial status or... whatever it was.

When she'd been traveling with the Doctor for that wonderful year, she had tried to hate Rose. It had been easy, she was the ideal of perfection. Something that Martha tried to reach for, but was never able to achieve. She'd been able to hate the young woman when she was nothing more than an idea.

Their brief meeting on the Crucible however caused that illusion to shatter. Fighting side by side against the Daleks, seeing the courage that she had to travel realities alone, looking for the Doctor. And when it was done, wrapping Martha in a fierce hug, standing with the other Children of Time while they helped to pull the Earth back into it's proper place.

She couldn't hate her. And when they got the call that a young woman and her daughter had been found wandering the halls, somebody who needed to speak to the Doctor. Once Martha had recognize her she jumped at the chance to help.

She found herself tuning out River's excited chattering, and turning towards the clear windows, to where the Doctor and Rose stood. It was then she noticed the fob watch clutched tightly in the Doctors hand.

If anybody knew about fob watches, it was Martha Jones. The situation with the Family of Blood had been a disaster. Martha knew that. She'd almost lost the Doctor that time, to another man.

He must love Rose, she thought, if he'd be willing to touch another fob watch after everything those things have done in the past...


	5. The Broken Clock

**Hola, Robin here! **

**Sorry it's so long...but I hope you enjoy!!!!!**

**Special thanks to Lacey, our wonderful beta reader!! **

* * *

Forbidden Tomorrow

_By _

_doodlegirll and Little Bat_

_***_

Chapter Four: The Broken Clock

_The Doctor stood at the front of the church, jumping from foot to foot lightly, his hands shoved down into his pockets nervously. His bowtie suddenly felt very tight, his tux very hot, as he waited for the ceremony to begin._

_Today was the day he would marry Rose Tyler._

_Pete placed his hand on the Doctor's shoulder, smiling encouragingly._

_"Stop your bouncin'." He said. "It'll be alright."_

_The Doctor sighed. "I know." He said. "But I'm rubbish at weddings. Especially my own."_

_Pete laughed. "Between you and me, so am I."_

_Just then, the organ started, and everyone in attendance rose to their feet. The Doctor turned back to face the front, and waited on baited breath as the procession started, and Rose Tyler, his Rose Tyler, appeared through the doors at the other end._

_Oh, she was beautiful._

_The smile that was already plastered on his face gained what seemed like a few inches as she finally reached him. He held out his hand, and she took it, smiling back at him._

_"Ready?" He whispered._

_"Ready." She said back. "Forever."_

_***_

_"Doctor?"_

_"Yeah?"_

_Rose fidgeted slightly as she faced her husband. She chewed her bottom lip, unsure where to go from here._

_"Something wrong, Rose?" The Doctor asked, sipping his coffee. He peered at her from over the top of the cup._

_Rose shook her head. "No, nothing's…wrong." She said._

_The Doctor sat his cup down on the counter and kitchen to where his wife stood. They were both still clad in their pajamas, and the Doctor had yet to run a brush through his hair (though, even when he did do it, it was still as wild as it had ever been). Rose swallowed and closed her eyes._

_"I'm pregnant."_

_When she opened her eyes, she found the Doctor staring at her, his brown eyes wide. Then, suddenly, she was in his arms, and he was swinging her around in circles around their kitchen. She laughed and clung to him until he sat her back down on the floor, grinning ear to ear._

_"How long?"_

_Rose smiled. "About six weeks." She said. "I would have told you sooner, but…I wanted to be sure first."_

_"That's brilliant!" The Doctor said. His gaze softened and he looked at Rose's still flat stomach. "I'm going to be a dad."_

_Rose took his hand and placed it on her stomach where their child was slowly growing inside her._

_"And I'm gonna be a mum." She said. She looked up at him and smiled. "Daddy Doctor."_

_He looked up at her, and then, slowly, she saw worry fill his eyes. Then, suddenly, without warning, he fainted, right there in the middle of the kitchen._

_***_

_He sat, huddled, in the corner, hoping against hope that Rose wouldn't find him._

_"DOCTOR!!" She screamed as she stomped down the hall, past the room in which the Doctor was hiding. She continued on down the hall, searching for her missing husband._

_"One heart, and no chance of regeneration." He muttered. "How do human males do this?!"_

_A few moments later, the Doctor heard Jackie following her daughter down the hall. She paused when she heard soft shuffling coming from the room next to her, and she walked inside, flipping on the light._

_"Doctor?" She asked, walking over to where the Doctor sat in the darkest corner of the room. "What are you doing here? Rose is lookin' all over the place for ya!"_

_"I know." He said._

_"Then what are you doing in here?"_

_He looked up at her._

_"She's pregnant."_

_Jackie slapped him._

_***_

_Rose's fingers curled around his, and he winced, trying to hold in the cry of pain. Another contraction hit her, and Rose's grip on his hand tightened even more, and the Doctor could have sworn he heard a few bones crack._

_"Alright, Rose, we're almost there." The alternate Dr. Martha Jones said. "Just one more push."_

_Rose screamed, and so did the Doctor as she pushed one last time, her grip on his hand becoming a lock that not even the sonic screwdriver could get open._

_And then, suddenly, it was all over. A new voice filled the small room, this one high and shrill. Rose's grip slackened, and the Doctor let out a sigh of relief._

_"It's a girl!" Dr. Jones announced. Rose's head lolled back on the pillow and the Doctor lightly pushed back her hair and kissed her sweaty forehead._

_"You did it. It's over, you can relax, you did it." He whispered._

_Dr. Jones carried a small, pink blanket towards them and placed it gently in Rose's arms. Rose smiled and looked up at the Doctor, who blinked at the little baby girl in her arms in wonder._

_Their daughter. His daughter._

_"She's beautiful." He murmured. "Just like her mum."_

_"She's got your nose." Rose said. "Do you want to hold her?"_

_He nodded, and Rose carefully handed him the tiny bundle. He held the now sleeping little girl in his arms, and he gently tugged at the blanket wrapped around her. A tiny, honey-brown curl peeked out, and she suddenly opened her eyes, and he saw that they were a brilliant blue._

_He knew those eyes._

_Memories flooded through him, and tears pricked at his eyes. He knew this little girl. He knew exactly who she was, and he knew exactly who she would be, his daughter. His brilliant, beautiful daughter._

_"We need to name her." Rose said. Her husband nodded._

_"River." He said softly. "River Song Smith."_

_***_

_He smiled as Rose gently laid their sleeping child in her crib. She stepped back, and he wrapped his arm around her, hugging her close._

_"We're parents." He whispered._

_"We're parents." Rose whispered back._

_***_

_"I can't believe this!" The Doctor said, running his hand through his hair as he stared at the small fragments on the table in front of him._

_Rose smirked. "I told you she was as brilliant as her dad!"_

_"Brilliant?!" The Doctor said, spinning around to face her. "The child's an evil genius! She took apart my sonic screwdriver! And she's __**two**__!"_

_Rose laughed._

_***_

_"Can't catch me, Daddy!" River giggled as she ducked behind a tree in the park._

_"Oh, I bet I can!" The Doctor said, diving for his daughter. River squealed and ran around him, running as fast as her little legs would carry her. The Doctor spun around and chased after her, scooping her up in his arms and tickling her as she laughed and begged him to stop._

_"Daddy!" She said. "Lemme go!"_

_"Not until you give me my sonic screwdriver back!" The Doctor said. "I need that, you know."_

_River laughed again. "Nuh uh!" She said defiantly._

_"Doctor!"_

_The Doctor stopped tickling River and sat her back down, turning to the sound of his name being called. Rose ran across the park towards them, worry etched across her face._

_"Doctor, you and River need to come home. Now." Rose said, stopping in front of them._

_"Why?" The Doctor asked. "What's wrong?"_

_"Mum called." Rose said. "Torchwood's reported an alien attack."_

_***_

_"Doctor, what are they?" Rose whispered._

_The Doctor looked away from the television screen, fear evident in his eyes._

_"I don't know."_

_***_

_"Run!"_

_***_

_"I made my choice a long time ago and I'm never gonna leave you."_

_***_

_"Her name was Rose."_

_***_

_"Why do they survive while I lose everything?"_

_***_

_"You know my name."_

_***_

_"Does it need saying?"_

_***_

Old memories and new mingled, and the Doctor's headache intensified. The new memories of his human life weaved their way through his brain, nestling themselves in just the right places, alongside the memories of the year that correlated with the four years of the parallel world. The Doctor wished desperately that the memories would just find their place and settle already.

He groaned as he drifted back towards consciousness, and when he blinked open his eyes, he found himself in a comfortably dim room. He was lying on a cot, with Rose Tyler hovering above him. His head was lying lightly in her lap, and as his vision came back into clear focus he saw that she was leaned back against the wall, sitting upright on the cot. Her head was leaned back, her eyes closed, fast asleep. Tucked into a mushroom of blankets and pillows nearby was River, also sleeping, and even from where he was, the Doctor could see her eyelids twitching, which had to mean the child was dreaming. He hoped it was something good, after all the hard nights of restless sleep she had had in the past two months…

The Doctor smiled at the memory that was now his, forever, and slowly sat up so as to not disturb the sleeping Rose. Standing to his feet, he realized he was still a little disorientated, and sat back down on the cot. A dull pain still throbbed in his head, and the Doctor pressed two fingers to each temple to try and ease the pain, if only just a little. After a couple minutes, he stood back up, slower this time, and stretched. The clock on the wall told him it was around eleven o'clock in the evening, which meant he had definitely been out a lot longer than he had previously anticipated.

He looked back at Rose and smiled softly. She was exhausted, he could tell. She had puffy bags under her eyes, and her make up was smeared, obviously from not only the day's rough events, but the Doctor could also see dry tearstains running down her face, and he wondered, vaguely, why she had been crying.

Carefully, he reached out and helped her to lay down flat on the cot, laying her head on the small pillow. He found a blanket on the floor near the door and draped it over her. He lightly kissed her forehead and smiled at her sleeping form.

Then he saw that, like their daughter before, was clenching something tightly in her fist. The Doctor reached out and took it from her and saw that it was the fob watch with the crude Gallifreyan on the front. He ran his thumb over the engraved writing.

_A broken clock is a comfort. _It read. _It stops tomorrow from stealing all your time._

The Doctor smirked lightly at the statement. He opened the fob watch and found that the inside held no more of the golden glow it had before, when he had accepted the memories of his clone; the hands were frozen, and there was no longer a faint ticking from inside.

The watch was broken.

Sighing, he pocketed the watch and tiptoed to the door, opening it. He slipped out and clicked the door shut silently before turning and walking back down the hall.

He was just about to turn the corner when a loud, American accented voice called out to him.

"Doctor!"

The Doctor turned, grinning.

"Jack!" He said.

Captain Jack Harkness strode up to the Doctor, and the two men hugged. Jack grinned at the Doctor.

"Nice to see you awake." He said. "We were getting a little worried there."

The Doctor rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, sorry." He said. "Didn't think I'd be out for, ooh…six hours?"

Jack slapped him on the back. "What exactly did you do?"

"I opened a fob watch my clone sent with Rose and River." The Doctor explained. "Inside were all the memories of my life as a human on the parallel world with Rose."

"How did you manage to pull that off?" Jack said. "I mean, Martha once told me how you hid your Time Lord identity in a fob watch once…"

A memory flashed in front of him, and the Doctor winced as it flared the pain in his head again.

_He was at Torchwood, the lights in the laboratory flickering. The sounds of destruction could be heard in the background from outside._

_In front of him stood a machine not entirely unlike the Chameleon Arch. The silver fob watch was hooked securely into a grooved metal clamp._

_He swallowed and placed the helmet on his head, snapping the straps together securely under his chin. He took a deep breath and flipped a small switch on the side of the machine._

_He was surprised to find that while it still hurt, it was nothing compared to the intensity of the Chameleon Arch. He did not feel as though his entire body were being ripped apart, limb from limb, while on fire, but instead felt like he did when he regenerated: like something was changing._

_The memories swirled in the form of golden light into the fob watch next to him. When it was over, the gold light faded from the air, and the watch began to tick in a constant, strong rhythm._

_He removed the helmet and placed it on the peg on the side of the machine. He flipped the machine off again, and walked, a little woozily, to the watch. He picked it up out of the grooved space and snapped it closed solemnly._

_He turned and walked out of the room, ready to head back to his family._

"I used a Memory Manipulator." The Doctor said, the words slipping from the tip of his tongue. "We used it at Torchwood in the parallel world to erase the memories of some of our clients, if they wished. Never forcibly." He remembered Donna and shuddered.

Jack noted his shudder and patted his shoulder.

"Donna Noble is fine, Doctor." He said. "We have someone check up on her about once a month. She's got another job, and she and her mother are getting along now. She's fine."

"She doesn't remember me, then?"

Jack shook his head. "Not at all."

The Doctor smiled sadly. "Good." He said. "I hated to do that to her, Jack. I hated myself for it. But I had to. She would have died otherwise." He swallowed hard. "Francine Jones was right. I am dangerous. I waltz into peoples' lives and destroy them. I destroyed your life, and Martha's, and Donna's, and Rose's. And lives are things very few people get back."

Jack shook his head. "You didn't destroy my life, Doctor." He said. "You helped make it. And you know damn well everyone that you've ever traveled with would say the same thing. You help them find themselves, Doctor. Look at Rose. When you first picked her up, she was just a nineteen year old shopgirl in London who felt like she would never be able to do anything with her life. But you found her, and you showed her a world she never could have imagined, showed her who she could be, and that's why she loves you so much." He looked at him intensely. "And she got her life back. She got you back, and you her. Martha is about to marry Tom in a few months, and Donna is happy. Me, well, I can't die, but I have the best team I could ever ask for, and I'm happy. So stop beating yourself up over things you cannot change."

The Doctor let Jack's words sink it. It was true. Everything Jack had said was true. He smiled.

"Thanks, Jack." He said.

"You're welcome, Doctor." Jack said back. "Now c'mon; I think we could both use some coffee."

***

Back in London, Donna Noble suddenly awoke from yet another one of her strange dreams about a mysterious man called the Doctor, and a pretty blonde girl called Rose, and their equally mysterious blue box.

She had been having these dreams for a while now, almost a year. Ever since everyone had started talking about planets in the sky…

Donna sighed and lay back down.

She knew that couple, but she just didn't know _where_. A fuzzy, annoying feeling played at the back of her mind every time she thought of them, and who in the world they could be.

Maybe they only existed in her dreams. Maybe they were just figments of her imagination. Whatever the reason and whoever this Doctor and Rose were, Donna Noble knew them.

And they knew her.

They called her brilliant.

They took her on amazing journeys through time and space in their blue box, called the TARDIS.

And yet, she could not, no matter how hard she tried, remember who they were in reality.

Donna closed her eyes, and tried to go back to sleep. She had never spoken of her dreams to her mother or grandfather, believing that they would find her mad, and tell her to stop dreaming about silly things like time traveling police boxes and running from aliens. Her grandfather might not have called them silly, per se, but would rather have told her she had always had a vivid imagination, and go about his business while her mother would brood and fuss about how she should grow up and stop imagining such outrageous ideas.

But something, something deep inside her – in her heart? – told her that the Doctor and Rose were _not _of her imagination, but a big piece of her life, of her past.

But…who _were _they, and why did she keep having dreams about them?

And…why did she always get the feeling that something was coming, something bad, and that she would have to _help_ this couple that only seemed to live in the farthest reaches of her memory?

* * *

**If anyone caught the song references in there, you get a cookie!! **

**EDIT: Sorry about the delete then reupload. I forgot to change the mistake on Martha's mother's name. Hehe, silly Robin. :)**


	6. Conversations at 3 AM

**Sorry for the delay with this! I meant to get it up before April Break hit, and it didn't work. Plus, I've been remodeling my room all week. Needless to say there hasn't been much time for writing! That said, I -do- have my chapter now. And I hope you all enjoy!  
**

* * *

Forbidden Tomorrow

_By _

_doodlegirll and Little Bat_

_***_

Chapter Five: Conversations at 3 AM

It was a known fact that all Torchwood agents had coffee running through their veins, craving the caffeine the way a nicotine addict craved a cigarette. Captain Jack Harkness was no exception to that rule, despite being almost-immortal, and being several hundred years older than most of the other agents who signed up for duty.

"I'm going to guess that you'd rather have tea than coffee, right Doctor?"

"You know me Jack. Tea is the one taste I've kept through all my regenerations. Can't say the same for jelly-babies." He said with a shudder. "Though I do get the odd craving every once in awhile."

There was a low chuckle from Jack. "That and bananas!"

"What can I say? Bananas are good! Really though, Earth tea is the best kind of tea out there. One of the greatest things this planet has invented. You can save the world with a good cup of tea you know."

The former Time Agent glanced down at the small electric kettle and the coffee maker. "I couldn't make a decent cup of tea to save my life. Ianto on the other hand can make instant coffee taste good."

"Oh yes, Ianto. He was that young Welshman that brought those sandwiches, correct?"

Jack nodded, "Without him this place would have fallen apart years ago. Gwen's our second member, and acting police liaison."

"Speaking of Gwen and Ianto, where's everybody headed off to?"

"Gwen's probably gone to her and Rhys' flat – that's her fiancé by the way. He always worries when she's late.. With regards to the others, they've probably gone home as well. I know Martha had a date with Tom that she had to reschedule."

"What about you Jack?"

"You know me. I live for my work." He said lightly, giving the Doctor a wink.

"You've got a good team Jack." The Doctor complimented, there was a moments silence before he Doctor grinned. "And I'll bet Mickey and Martha are there to talk sense into you lot!"

Now it was Jack's turn to laugh as he started to pour hot water for the Doctor's tea into a Styrofoam cup, while doing the same with his cup of coffee. "We've only got caffeinated tea. Is that alright?"

The Doctor nodded. "That's fine, I've already slept more today than I do in a year."_ And that's probably for th__e best._He accepted the steaming cup gratefully and took a sip. "Mm. not too bad, what do you mean that you can't make a good cuppa?"

Jack remembered the Doctor's nocturnal habits. He'd come to the console room late during the night, when the nightmares had proven too much and he'd found the Doctor- the old Doctor – tinkering away at different parts of the TARDIS's console. It had been a comfort during the strange night's spent hurtling through the Time Vortex. Sometimes, Rose joined them, woken from some dream that nobody spoke of. It was one of the things that he had missed when he had been… left behind.

"I know how you're feeling." Jack murmured, so low that the Doctor almost didn't hear him. But that was a big almost. And he knew where Jack's train of thought had been going. If he had another option, Jack would have stayed on with him and Rose. Just the three of them, traveling together through time and space. History though, said otherwise. History had needed JackHarkness, and Torchwood had needed a good change.

_I might not agree with all of __TORCHWOOD's__ procedures, going in all guns blazing._ The Doctor thought,_ but Jack's a hero. And the only one I trust with the fate of my favorite little backward planet. Course, I can't tell him that. Might go around getting a big head. Well, a bigger head. _

"Now then!" the Doctor announced, changing the subject. "What's this little corner of the universe been up to since I last popped in for a visit?!"

We've had some of Sarah-Jane's kids checking up on Donna. She got a job at their school in Ealing. "

The Doctor beamed, he knew that none of Sarah-Jane's apprentices would give anything away unnecessarily. "I haven't gotten around to meeting those three yet. Now what are their names? I met her son Luke, and Sarah mentioned… I believe it was Clyde and Maria?"

Jack grinned. "Maria and her dad headed down to Washington. Somethin' bout a job transfer, though I did recently meet the new girl who Sarah-Jane took under her wing."

"Really?"

"Yup. Her names… Rani I believe, Rani Chandra."

The Doctor stiffened visibly, and Jack frowned. "Did I say something wrong Doctor?"

"Did you check her for a fob watch Jack?"

"No, but there wasn't a need. She's a perfectly normal teenage girl Doctor. Besides, Sarah-Jane's Mister Smith would have picked up on any kind of alien tech if she brought it into the attic. Really though, who's Rani?"

"Oh… nobody special."

Jack's expression told the Doctor that, while he didn't quite believe him, he was willing to let the subject drop.

* * *

Rose Tyler woke up in a blind panic, her head shooting up from her next of pillows and blankets. Where was John?! She couldn't prevent the thought as she scanned the room quickly, until reality sunk back in again. She wasn't at her Torchwood. She wasn't even at Torchwood 1 anymore, what with Martha having brought her to Torchwood 3 after she'd been found in the old Torchwood base.

Rose squeezed her eyes shut as she bit back a flood of tears. She hadn't had a chance to really cry, not since John had been… She shook her head as though to visibly clear it. The tears could come later, she had River to worry about, and she needed to find the Doctor. She had no doubt that adjusting would be difficult, it had taken time to adjust to a new Doctor, and even longer for her to adjust to John.

But John, the man she'd fallen in love with, and - eventually - married, was gone. Buried deep within the confines of the Doctor's own mind. The Doctor... how much had changed since she had been left standing there on the shores of Bad Wolf Bay? The low hum of familiar voices broke Rose's train of thought. And it took her several moments to place them as belonging to the Doctor, and Jack. She'd heard them thousands of times before, and their quiet laughter was a welcome relief in the cold Torchwood building. Standing up to join the Doctor, her blanket fell around her body, and she was dressed in a pair of pajamas that Gwen had given her. She glanced down towards her daughter, who was cocooned tightly in a nest of blankets, honey-blond curls falling around her face. Rose picked up the fallen blanket and draped it over the toddler's shoulders. River gave a sleepy little sigh and snuggled into the unexpected warmth as Rose carefully tucked it around her body and followed the voices to where the Doctor and Jack were.

The Doctor stifled a grin as she stood in the doorway, eyes half closed, and blinking the last remnants of dust from her eyes. Blond hair hanging haphazardly on her face. It wasn't an unfamiliar sight, after all - Rose woke up like that most mornings. No matter how many things changed, or how much time had passed, Rose would never, _ever _be a morning person.

"G'evening sleepyheads." She mumbled, her voice still sounding like she had just woken up.

"_Do you think that we should tell her what time it is?" _The Doctor mouthed.

Jack shook his head negative as he tried his hardest to hide a smile from Rose.

"Sleepyheads?" Jack asked, the first hints of a smile starting to inch across his face.

"That's you! A right bunch of sleepyheads." She turned to the Doctor "you were asleep longer than I was!"

"You sure about that?" The Doctor asked with a grin, only to have it slide off his face as he became aware of Rose, who was examining his face closely.

"Are... are you alright Doctor?"

There was a pregnant pause, and Jack shot a glance toward the Doctor who's facial expression had turned into a large, awkward grin. "Oh you know me Rose, I'm fine. Just peachy!" The Doctor paused for a moment. "Could you imagine if they said just pear-y? I mean, how rubbish would that be?" The Doctor made a face. "Blech, I hate pears. And you!" he turned to Rose, changing the subject as rapidly as he had started. "And you! I can't believe you _let _River take apart the sonic screwdriver!"

The Doctor gave an exasperated sigh. "Honestly, it took me weeks to fix it again... you know that I love my sonic screwdriver!"

Rose gave a watery smile. The memory transfer had worked then, her Doctor and John had become one and the same, though- they weren't really. It was so hard to remember they were different people, and now, the line between John and the Doctor was blurred even further. But they'd work it out. It was something they always did. Every change the universe threw their way, every hard decision they had to make, they worked through the change, just like they always did. "'S your fault for leaving it 'round where River could get at it. She loves taking things apart. Just like her dad that one is."

Jack smiled. "Alright lovebirds, I'm going to go finish some paperwork that should have been done yesterday." He grinned, giving a mock, half-salute before turning, and leaving the small back room to head toward his office.

The Doctor's arms wrapped comfortingly around Rose's shoulders, and she settled snugly into the warm embrace. "Really though, you don't need to worry. I'm fine." He tapped his index finger to his temple. "Everything tucked safely inside."

He could see Rose biting her lower lip, and the Doctor could tell that Rose didn't believe a word of it.

_And maybe she's right. _The Doctor thought, when he'd opened the FOB watch he'd been prepared for the flood of memories, the overwhelming sensations and the onslaught of emotion. That wasn't the problem. Every time another memory from his alternate self flooded his mind, it unveiled another part of Rose's life that he'd missed. Important milestones that he hadn't had any part of because he hadn't given her a fair choice. In fact, there hadn't been a choice for Rose at all. He'd simply done what came naturally to him, and pushed her away.

"Look, Rose. I don't know everything that's going on. Or even if those... creatures are here in our Universe. But whatever happens, we're gonna get through this. We always do Rose."

Despite the warmth and sincerity behind the Dcotor's statement - Rose couldn't help but wonder if things would get worse, before they truly got better...


	7. Bad Wolf Rising

**I am SOOOOOOO so sorry for the LONG delay! For some mucho complicated reasons (including one Shih Tzu puppy named Gibbs, a car, three small children, four aliens with purple skin, one apple, and seventeen copies of the same newspaper) this chappie didn't get to my beta for a long time. :( **

**But, here it is! SUPER KUDOS go to Lacey for her Beta Skills of Awesomeness! **

**And thanks to all of you for the reviews, and your patience!**

* * *

Forbidden Tomorrow

_By _

_doodlegirll and Little Bat_

_***_

Chapter Six: Bad Wolf Rising

Later, after Rose had gone back to bed, the Doctor stood silent vigil over both her and River, sitting in a chair in the corner, his chin resting in one hand, elbows on his knees. He watched _his_ daughter toss and turn in her peaceful sleep, a small smile gracing her features.

_Oh River,_ he thought. _My brilliant, wonderful River._

His mind wandered back to the Library, back when he had first met River before he knew who exactly she was.

He remembered feeling as thought he _knew _her, though at the time he had no idea how. As they continued to interact, and when she whispered his name in his ear, he had thought something completely different than what turned out to be the truth.

He couldn't lie. At first he thought that she was much more than just his friend or…no. He had always known she couldn't be that. No one could ever be that, no one but Rose. That much had been certain since the moment she showed up on Satellite 5 as the Bad Wolf.

And now, he had proof.

He had his daughter. He had his River, the Oncoming Storm and the Bad Wolf all rolled up into one.

How could he not have seen Rose in her? How could he not have looked into River Song's eyes back at that library, and not see the pure Rose Tyler that lived there? He knew he saw a bit of himself in her. She was brave, and brilliant. Absolutely brilliant.

The Doctor smiled.

He was so lost in his thoughts he didn't notice River stir and sit up, rubbing her eyes.

"Daddy?" She asked, noticing him in the corner.

The Doctor was pulled back to reality and looked at River.

"I had a bad dream." River said quietly.

"Oh." The Doctor said. Another memory flared. In it, he was comforting River as she clung to his pajamas, shaking, scared to death. He saw himself picking up the little girl and taking her to the living room, setting her down on the couch as he went into the kitchen to make her some warm tea.

He pulled himself out of the chair and crossed the room to sit next to River. The little girl crawled into his lap, hugging him around his stomach. He cradled her close, stroking her curls gently.

"What was it about?" He asked after a moment.

River sniffed. "You and Mummy." She said. "I dreamed the monsters got you, like they got Gran and Grandad and Tony." She buried her face in his shirt.

"Sh, it was just a dream." He soothed. "They can't get you here. And Mummy and I are just fine, see? We're both right here, safe and sound."

"But I heard you yelling…" River said. "After you told Mummy and me to run. Why were you yelling?"

The Doctor was quiet.

"Because it hurt, sweetie." He said after a moment, softly. "And I was scared."

The Doctor had no real way of knowing, but from what the letter his double had written and what Rose had told him, what the monsters did to their victims sounded less than pleasurable, let alone painless.

"Are you okay now, Daddy?"

He looked down at her.

"Me? Oh yeah." He said, smiling. "Never been better."

River smiled back. "Good."

"How's about you and I go find that kitchen and make a cuppa tea? Hm? That sound good?"

River nodded enthusiastically, and he lifted the little girl into his arms, carrying her out the door. He took a glance back into the room, making sure Rose was still sleeping soundly. She had shifted in her sleep to face the wall, but she appeared to be fine.

Smiling, he gently eased the door closed.

As soon as she was sure he was gone, Rose smiled.

***

The Doctor and River found the Torchwood kitchen easily. It was deserted, with the rest of the Torchwood team asleep, or at least keeping busy, in Captain Jack's case. The Doctor sat River down in a chair at the table in the corner, and went to the counter, opening one of the cabinets.

"Alright," he said, surveying their choices. "Peach or…Snickerdoodle?" He picked up the tin of tea. "Where does Jack get this stuff?"

"Miss Martha told me he gets them from a store down the street." River said.

"Yes, but snickerdoodle tea?!" The Doctor said. "That's new…" He sat down the tin. "So, what'll it be?"

"Peach." River said. "It's my favorite!"

"Peach it is, then."

The Doctor moved to the stove, setting the tea kettle on the burner and turning it on high. When the burner didn't turn on, the Doctor's eyebrows furrowed and he took a closer look at the stove. He banged on it a couple of times, but when nothing happened, he finally gave up and pulled the sonic screwdriver from his pocket. Pointing it at the burner, it whirred, and the stove top lit.

He turned back to face River, twirling the sonic screwdriver around with his fingers.

"There we go. Working to full capacity, good as new, if I do say so myself."

River giggled. "Can I see the sonic screwdriver?"

"Promise not to try and take it apart again?"

River nodded, her little hand outstretched. The Doctor sat the small device in his daughter's hand, and River examined it closely.

"Is this one new?" She asked.

"Yep." The Doctor lied. "Just finished it up while you were sleeping."

River grinned. "When are we going to see the TARDIS?"

The Doctor frowned. "You know about the TARDIS?"

Another memory flashed in front of him.

_"It's called the TARDIS, which stands for Time and Relative Dimensions in Space." The Doctor said, showing River a picture he had drawn of the blue box that he used to call home._

_"TAR-DIS." River tried out the strange word. "What's it do, Daddy?"_

_"It travels in time and space. Anywhere you want to go, anything you want to see, the TARDIS can take you there."_

_River's eyes sparkled. "I want to go to the biggest library in the universe." She said._

_The Doctor laughed. "And why would you want to go there?"_

_"Because I love learning new things, Daddy." River said. "And books can teach me."_

_"Well, who knows?" The Doctor said, a far away, almost sad look in his eye. "Maybe one day you will."_

River giggled again. "Of course, silly!" She said. "You said I'd get to see it one day."

"Oh. Of course. I'm sorry, River, I forgot." The Doctor smiled, trying to make up for his mistake. "And yes, you'll get to see it tomorrow, when Mummy can be with us."

River squealed and handed the sonic screwdriver back to her father.

Suddenly, a high, shrill whistle sounded through the small kitchen, and the two turned to find the tea kettle steaming out of control. The Doctor jumped from his seat and ran over to it, turning off the stovetop. He grabbed for the handle, only to find it scorching hot, and he pulled back instinctively.

"Ow!" He said.

He sucked on his fingers for a moment, and then turned his attention back to getting the burning kettle off of the stovetop. He rustled through a drawer and pulled out a pair of tongs. Using them, he picked up the kettle and sat it in the sink. Turning on the cold water, steam spewed into the air as the hot kettle popped and crackled.

"Well…" The Doctor said. "How does milk sound instead?"

***

An hour later, the Doctor carefully carried River back down the hallway, fast asleep in his arms. They had spent the last hour talking, eating a few cookies the Doctor had found in one of his pockets with their milk. River had helped spark a few more of his newfound memories, and with each one, he found himself feeling more and more like the man Rose had married.

It was nice, he thought, feeling human.

He carefully lowered River back onto her bed of blankets, pulling one of them up to cover her. River snuggled in instinctively, and the Doctor smiled as he turned away to face the still sleeping form of Rose.

She was beautiful when she slept. The Doctor recalled many a time he had snuck into her room aboard the TARDIS, just to watch her sleep. Even when he had had big ears and a Northern accent he had done that. When she slept, Rose Tyler fascinated him. She seemed so innocent, so childlike, so inherently _human_ he found himself mesmerized, caught in her spell.

And now, she seemed even more beautiful to him now that she was there, forever and for always his.

He bent over and pressed a gentle kiss to her cool forehead.

He slipped out of the room again, knowing he still had to finish fixing the stove back in the kitchen that he had only helped to break further. Upon scorching the pot of water for River's tea, he had found a small note taped to the wall above the stovetop which read: _'High' setting broken. Do not attempt to use._

The Doctor stuffed his hands into his pockets and started for the kitchen.

The sound of running caused him to stop. Captain Jack suddenly rounded the corner, skidding to halt in front of him. He appeared out of breath, even for the leader of Torchwood and a former companion of the Doctor.

Something was wrong.

Very wrong.

"Doctor!" Jack gasped. "We have a problem."

"Jack, what's wrong?" The Doctor said. "You look like you've just run a race with a cheetah! No, wait, scratch that: a whole pack of cheetahs. What's going on?"

"The monsters." Jack heaved. "Doctor, it's the monsters. The monsters Rose and River told us about."

"What?" The Doctor was confused. "What about the monsters?"

"When Rose and River used that dimension cannon, they ripped another hole in reality." Jack said. "I've had Mickey monitoring it closely, but up until now, everything's seemed fine. Then a few minutes ago, alarms started to go off, and when I checked, I nearly died again."

"_Why_, Jack?" The Doctor was getting impatient.

"It's the hole, Doctor." Jack said. "The monsters have found out about it. I don't know how, but they have, and they're somehow using it." His eyes were huge. "They're crossing the void. They're coming through to our world."


End file.
